Elphaba moved languidly through the new territory. Her long, thin bodice weaving back and forth with every step she took. Her golden eyes flickered constantly, surveying, studying, memorizing, her tail hung low, curved between her legs. Thick fur shielded the hundreds of scars that adorned her flesh, making her appear a great deal less damaged than she actually was. It didn't matter, she was raised to the notion that the only beauty that existed radiated from elegant ivory fur... Elphaba possessed no such color, not a singular hair on her bodice was elegantly pale. She was a mistake, never meant to tarnish the earth with her filth... or so she had been told. Words like beauty meant nothing to her. She snorted complacently, pausing as she breeched the line of trees, approaching the fence line of the farmland with unease. She clung to the trees of the territory when given a choice, she never liked the farmland, it was to open, to exposed. She blended with the shadows of the forest, she didn't with the overgrown grasses. An expulsion of air would escape her nostrils, she was being ridiculous. This was pack territory. With a languid movement she propelled her body out of the trees and up and over the fence line, into the open land. She stalked forward, low to the ground and forcing herself to face that what made her uneasy. fear was a weakness, one that she had learned to conquer long ago and while she wasn't trembling in its wake such exposure made her uneasy. The sound of something heavy gliding across the ground brought her attention to the right, golden eyes widened as she gazed at the massive... well she wasn't sure what they were. Fat, spotted deer maybe? She stayed still, absolutely motionless as she surveyed them. They were grazing, nibbling on the grass. Teeth flat, on the lower jaw only, they possessed no teeth on the top. Herbivores... Elphaba relaxed and continued on, ignoring them and they returned the favor. She was perfectly content to share her space with the massive things. They didn't interrupt her and she didn't interrupt them. She doubted they would pose much of a threat lest they decide to step on her, but she was quick, she could dodge. A loud crash caught her attention along with several of the...fat deer. her head quirked to the side, surveying the decrepit red building. The thing was in shambles, the fence completely destroyed surrounding it, but something or someone was inside it. Elphaba slowly paced towards it, her curiosity getting the better of her. Slowly she peered around the edge of the barn and stepped inside. The stalls had long since given up the ghost, large chunks of wood and metal lay scattered about the barn. An angered cry of something had Elphaba tensing and something massive and red barreled backwards. Golden eyes locked with onyx of the massive thing before her. It snorted, nostrils flaring, its head tossing impatiently, before it lowered its head, hooves scraping the earth as it pawed at the foreign debris. Elphaba had never been known for backing away from a fight, but she had never faced something quite so massive, or with such pointed horns protruding from its skull. "Crap." The curse was spoken flat and almost inaudible and in the next second she had swerved around the fallen door of the barn and was rocketing into the field. With an angry snort and a cry of battle, the bull was hot on her heels. "Speech"

Exploring was perhaps his favorite past time now that they were settled in the range. A few had stopped and asked him if they would move back to the old land. Gerhardt had to admit he had considered the idea, but moving Ghost and her newborn pups was not practical. Besides, this land offered a wider range of prey, and a different view. The King was rather pleased with it. He'd taken up his home in the lean to that still stood in the pasture. He thought of it fondly as his head dipped to the surface of the lake. Cattails stood around him, jutting up from the muddy soil in small groves. He'd heard they were good to eat, but the King hadn't been brave enough to try. He wasn't that hungry anyway. Leaning down, he took draught after draught from the lake's depths, relishing in the fact that this land remained green and fertile through the summer. Patches of grass had receded and dried up, but overall the range seemed untouched by the harsh fingers of summer.

To his left stood (or half stood, as the case was) the rusty colored barn. A few wolves had taken refuge inside, and Gerhardt wanted to see the appeal of it. He understood the need for shelter, and the obvious advantages to having walls around yourself, but he much preferred the solitude and quiet of the lean-to. Three sides protected him, while one allowed fresh air and the morning sun to stream in freely. What more could a King ask for? He pivoted from the water's edge, muzzle dripping with moisture, as he headed for the barn. Perhaps Loccian or Bronze would be around, or even one of his children - or anyone to talk to. The King felt distanced lately, and wanted to change that.

As he approached, he noted that the cattle were very near the barn. That was suspicious, they usually stuck to the trees where they felt safe. Oh well, he couldn't do much about their presence except tolerate it. The thought to steer clear of them flashed through his mind, but he knew it was foolish. He had intended to see the barn, and see it he would. The cattle wouldn't bother him anyway, except perhaps one of the bulls. They usually only put up a fuss when cornered, and he had no intention of doing that. A flurry of black motion caught his eye. Elphaba. She was moving at far too rapid a pace for a normal wolf. Something was amiss. It took only half a second to realize what was wrong, and when he did, the King wasn't sure what to do about it. A bull was chasing her, he had had one charge him, but not full on chase. What was the solution to this problem? The King honestly didn't know.

Picking up his pace, he fell in beside her, more than anything trying to show her that she wasn't alone. However, he had a feeling that this wasn't going to fix the problem, and so he sidestepped away from her and pivoted, letting out a menacing growl as he did so. He was now facing the bull, but a bit out of its direct path. If he could get its attention on him, he might be able to get it off of her tail. That would be a good plan. The only fault was when he did get it to divert from its original track, it would then be focused primarily on stomping him into the ground. He thought to let out a howl for help, but he didn't want to drag anyone else into this situation. As the bull neared him, Gerhardt lunged for it half-heartedly. If only he knew more about fighting these creatures! Suddenly, something occurred to him. The bull was quick in a straight line, but couldn't dream of catching a wolf who was running angles. The King shouted in her direction as he hit the earth without coming near the bull. "Elphaba, circle back, pivot, turn, do anything but run straight!" He hoped it would work. He needed it to work. The thundering of the bull's hooves matched his heartbeat as he watched the scene unfold, hoping desperately he was not about to see the woman trampled.


"Speech"

Elphaba had come to the conclusion that luck hated her. That good fortune would never befall her and perhaps her pack had been correct. That perhaps she was a tarnished piece and hell itself had sent this... thing to kill her. What in Gods name had she signed up for becoming a part of Seracia? Who the hell lived among demons? The thing screamed its frustration and Elphaba had the audacity to sneer, lips coiling over her teeth menacingly as the herd scattered to the winds, frightened by the Alpha's rage. Elphaba, for the first time in her life, wished that she was white, solely for the ability to blend with whatever the things flock was. She snarled to herself, no she didn't wish she was white. Never. She would rather be gutted by that thing than possess even a single fleck of that damnable color. Her feet hit the ground with a furious pace, leaping over obstacles, nimbly avoiding left over debris... the thing charged right through it. Luckily for her, she had training in endurance and at least the obstacles slowed the charging blob of muscle down.

Suddenly a flash of color caught her eye and despite herself, she whipped her head, golden eyes widened first in shock, than disbelief, than in horror as Gerhardt sidled up alongside her. If she hadn't put all of her energy into the useful strategy of sprinting, she would have snapped at him. She was replaceable, her life could be forfeit. He was a King, a leader, a ruler, his life was far more important than hers, as it were, she focused on keeping ahead of the two pointed horns and willing to lunge into Gerhardt and knock him out of the way if the thing actually drew close enough to catch him... she had been impaled on sharpened chunks of bone far too many times, but if it saved the king... what was once more? He shied away from her, turned and snarled and Elphie's eyes blew wide, her gait pulling to a halt... stupid error. The thing was still charging her and while she scrambled out of its charging path, one of it horns, caught her back leg, gashing her right flank and spinning her around.

No cry of pain tore from her throat, only a deep, menacing snarl as the thing rounded on them. Gerhardt's words reached her ears quickly and golden eyes narrowed really examining the things body... it was massive and muscular, but turning on a dime was something it wouldn't be able to accomplish. It seemed a solid enough idea. Completely ignoring the pain in her leg, she took off, zipping across the field, to circle on the opposing side of Gerhardt. Elphaba, was not usually a creature of noise, but in hopes that the snarls and snaps would distract him, Vicious, warning barks, tore from her larynx, as her bodice weaved back and forth, cutting in angles as her king had instructed. She came in from his left, hoping Gerhardt would come up on his right, perhaps between the two of them, they could confuse the beast long enough to forget its fascination with gutting her.



Speech!

The King felt helpless, and just a bit selfish. He had given her an idea for an escape, but sooner or later he'd have to think about how he was going to escape. It was likely if she managed to get away, the blackened beast would turn his vengeance upon the monarch. It was only natural for him to need to do something to get away. But what? He imagined the great creature could not climb, nor could he turn on a dime like the wolves. Perhaps if Gerhardt got somewhere where he could get off of the ground a few feet, the bull would leave him alone. Perhaps he could get them both there, and save Elphaba while he was at it. It was worth a shot. In all the motion he had missed Elphaba's injury, but he noted it now that blood trailed behind her in the direction she was running. The amount was not large enough for Gerhardt to fear for her life, but the King still worried. How long could she run with an injury?

It didn't seem to hold her back, as she darted this way and that, coming up opposite of him. I should get moving. The bull turned on them, snorting and groaning. He was lathered in sweat, which made his blackened coat glisten in the daylight. "Follow me!" The King hoped he was not leading her into worse trouble, but he had to do something! In a flash he was off, a blur of three colors. Taking his own advice, the King did not travel in straight lines, and often circled back for good measure. He couldn't hear the bull over the sound of his heat drumming in his ears. His only thought was to get somewhere they could climb. The machinery shed was the closest place he could think of. Even if the bull followed them the entire way, it couldn't get in the door. Plus, if it managed to break the door down, the tractors were tall enough that it could never hope to reach them.

The tan shed rose up on the horizon and the King could not be more pleased to see anything in his entire life. Dashing forth with newfound energy, Gerhardt found himself slipping inside the door in no time at all. He only hoped Elphaba was behind him. With a grunt he heaved his weight upward and onto the seat of one of the farther tractors, leaving the closer one for her to scale, if she wanted.

"Speech"

Elphaba's barks were loud, resounding, full of power and confidence that she did not feel. Gerhardt joined her, barking, snarling, snapping, disorienting the beast. The thing was lathered in sweat and spun on its cumbersome hooves in an effort, to keep up with the two wolves to no avail. The injury, Elphaba shoved to the back of her mind, it wasn't life threatening, it was not worth her time, at least not at the moment. She had a ridiculous level of pain tolerance and the incessant throb was easily forgotten, pushed to the back of her skull. Seracia, and making sure Gerhardt escaped unscathed, was far more important than the stupid scratch, if one could deem the distant dame anything, it was loyal and she had chosen to lay those loyalties with Seracia. That meant keeping the King protected and safe.

The command reached her audits and they swiveled, head careening to the left as she obeyed without question, abandoning the pointless endeavor of confusing the thing and bolting to the right of Gerhardt, keeping him in view, but darting far enough out that the bull would forget the king and focus on her. Her barks were incessant, demanding the monsters attention as he shook himself of his confusion and charged after her a second time. She weaved, diving in and out of fields, doubling back, mirroring Gerhardt's actions, she lost track of the bull, focusing solely on keeping her legs beneath her and keeping an eye trained on Gerhardt.

She watched his gaze flicker to the shed and suddenly she understood. Watching as Gerhardt slipped inside, the ebony and gray dame set out at a dead sprint for the crack in the door. The metal had corroded, leaving the door permanently stuck and she wasted no time bolting for that small opening. She slipped inside and a short moment after she had, the door screamed, metal cracking and bending as the bull smashed into it. She leapt onto the nearest chunk of machinery dragging her bodice up the hood, blood oozing from the gash in her leg. The creature outside snorted and scream, hooves scraping against the dirt and grasses as he failed to find an entry into the shed.

Elphaba panted, hot and heavy as she attempted to regain her lost breath, her gaze flickering over to the king. displaying her grace, despite her injury, she leapt from her tractor, to his, collapsing in a huff on the hood. Golden eyes sparking with just a hint of humor. "Your Grace... lovely weather for this season no?" It was the stoic dames attempt at adding light to the situation. "I believe, once again, thanks are needed. This time for saving my hide." Elphaba would dip her head silently, eyes falling shut as she thanked him and all the while the creature snorted and bayed its displeasure as it paced around the building.


Speech!

He clung to the frayed cloth seat, finding it to be far more comfortable than it ought to be. His sides heaved endlessly, as if he couldn't draw in enough air despite all his efforts. Ears folded against his skull as the beast rammed into the door, braying displeasure when he could not find an entry. Thank goodness for that door. He watched as Elphaba flung herself from her own pedestal to his, careening onto the hood and sprawling out. Humor, she still had humor in a situation like this. A smirk crossed his features, ironically in the company of a slightly furrowed brow. Breathing slowly began to return to normal as he shifted into a more comfortable position. "Absolutely marvelous," he would remark with every bit of sarcasm he could lace into it. Slowly and steadily, a laugh bubbled in his chest, festering there until he could no longer hold it in. It escaped as an airy chuckle, soft and genuine in nature. "No thanks is necessary, it's all in the job description. Although, I'm not sure that saving someone from a raging bull was exactly what I had planned for today." He smirked, pearly whites gleaming in the beam of light that interjected from the ajar door.

The bull snorted, his head being the only thing that could fit between the door and the wall. Gerhardt watched him warily - in the event that he might somehow manage to weasel his way in. That would be horrible. A bull in a china shop was one thing, but a bull in a machinery shed was a totally different story. "How long do you think he'll stay out there?" He could hear the bull bellowing and snorting, pawing at the earth in vengeance. Gerhardt knew he'd give up sooner or later. "I'm just glad it wasn't the brown and white one, he's the worst of the bunch. This one's a younger bull, I guess that's why he was so quick to charge." Young creatures of any species were almost always impulsive, especially those of the male persuasion. Gerhardt liked to think he understood the cattle - at least enough to live at peace among them - if you could call this peace. The King sat placidly now, as if nothing had happened and as if there was not a raging bull waiting to gore he and Elphaba.

"Speech"

Elphaba let out a long expulsion of air as her thin bodice collapsed a top the hood of the tractor. The cool steel feeling marvelous against her over-heated coat. She swore she find a den in the trees. The farm could keep the damn obese deer, Elphaba wanted nothing to do with them, especially if there males took to impaling her. She was fine dining on rabbits should that be the case. Elphaba, surprisingly, was the first to break the silence. Just a touch of humor in her tones. Glinda had been accustomed to her sarcasm and slightly abrasive ways, but the King was not. Sure he had probably surmised she was blunt, but from the two packs forming an alliance, to the abrupt loss of a Queen, to the moving of lands... she couldn't rightly say she had gotten much time to talk to anyone, much less the King whom she doubted had much time to deal out as it was. She wished she could retract the sarcastic words the moment they dripped from her maw but alas, she possessed no magic.

His response however stunned her, she expected to be snapped at, punished, clawed, something to reprimand her loose tongue, instead she was met with tones even more sarcastic than her own and a laugh, light, airy and seemingly carefree bubbling up from his chest, she allowed her muscles to relax, let her body unwind. She kept forgetting she wasn't in Oz anymore. A grin stole across her maw and she panted, chest heaving up and down with effort. It tampered off into a gentle smile, emotions never made to linger upon her face but a hint of amusement and satisfaction glittered in the depths of golden orbs. She would snort at his airy dismissal of her thanks, shaking her head languidly. "If it wasn't for your timely arrival I'm fairly certain my carcass would be dangling from those black horns rather than my leg obtaining a scratch, by all means take the thanks." She winced slightly, canines hurt bad enough, she didn't want to think what one of those horns piercing through her would feel like. She would shoot him a grateful smile regardless.

His inquiry made her think, pause momentarily as she watched the bull through the broken windows, pacing, snorting, ranting, growling. She had no idea what the damn thing was, much less what its habits were. She contemplated her response, remaining silent for a moment before a hoarse chortle escaped her, rumbling up through her chest. "Probably until it finds some other hapless creature to impale, or one of its flock goes into heat... that tends to work wonders to get a stag off your back." This was not the first time Elphaba had been chased done by a testosterone fueled male and it probably wouldn't be the last, although she could honestly say she had never been chased by...whatever it was before. "Since all I did was look at the damned thing, I doubt it takes much to set it off, hopefully we will only be prisoners a short while longer." Elphaba mused softly, whether to him or to herself she wasn't sure. "Have you encountered them before?" Curiosity gleamed in golden oculars, he seemed knowledgeable about the creature that had just tried to maim them, perhaps she could learn a bit about them.



Speech!

The bull seemed to be getting bored with his plight, or perhaps he was just going about it more quietly. Whatever the case, the snorting and bawling didn't eek into their hiding place quite so frequently. The King was thankful for this, as much as he loved being inside this structure, he wasn't certain he wanted to test its stability at the hooves and horns of a frustrated bull. Her dismissal of his dismissal was to be expected, but this was the proper order of things. "Then by all means I'm glad I showed up, I wouldn't have liked to see you as a horn-ornament." He would utter in all seriousness. Something would have to be done about these bulls, he couldn't have them chasing his members all the time. Gerhardt also knew that they couldn't take them on without risking attack from another. He knew at times the females would band together to fight a threat, who's to say the bulls wouldn't as well? Perhaps a bit of education was in order, for the sake of the Seracians. If they all knew the methods of escape and prevention of attack, perhaps there would be no problem at all.

He found himself laughing even before he'd fully processed her words, a deep, rumbling bravado note trumpeted from his chest. "It certainly does work," Notes moved in the same manner that his laugh had, mimicking the melody he'd already set forth. "I just don't understand. I've had them charge at me before, but only to chase me off, never to try to impale me. Usually they aren't that close to the barn anyway, they mostly stick to the trees." Lyrics trailed away as his vision did, noting that he couldn't see the bull any longer. The King wasn't quite ready to face the open air though, so he remained rooted to the spot he was in. A sigh trailed from his lips. "How is your leg, is it bad?" If it was, he would need to find a healer to see to it - unless she preferred to do so herself. He remembered she was skilled in a varied amount of arts, and Gerhardt did not want to force healing upon her if she wished to tend to herself. He craned his vision to get a look at the injury she bore.

"Speech"

Elphaba grunted, shifting her weight to sprawl out more upon the hood. With a quiet huff she lowered her maw between her forelimbs, golden eyes still catching glimpses of the young, testosterone filled male as he paced about the building. He seemed less agitated, perhaps a bit more calm, but Elphie was more than willing to rest here for a short while after he left... she was already injured, she had no desire to test the bull's metal. Speaking of the injury... she craned her head back, to lick at the wound along her flank, if nothing else she could debride it. She knew a few herbs she could use to stuff it should infection begin to take root, but hopefully the thing would clot, leave a new scar and she would go about her merry way, she hated fiddling with herbs, the potency of the smell left her feeling nauseous. Satisfied, she reclined back, a deep breath being inhaled and then expired.

His words reached her audits and slowly but surely, despite the seriousness of which it was spoken, a smile drifted across her maw, followed by a soft, almost inaudible laugh. She hadn't laughed since she had been with Glinda last. "Ah... well yes, I do prefer my pads upon the ground, an ornament would not suffice for me." Came the dry response, Her tail folding to drape just beneath the wound, she wrinkled her nose at the blood that tarnished her fur. She needed a bath.

She was snapped from her thoughts as his heavy laugh, ears careening backwards to absorb the noise, she found it mildly contagious and allowed her own to follow suit, her laugh was deep, a soothing rumble of a noise, soft but genuine. When the King laughed he held nothing back, allowed it to rumble through his entire body. She had never seen him seem so carefree... then again look at all the obstacles the poor brute had recently faced. It was a wonder he could still laugh at all. Elphaba understood heartache, to a point. She regretted the loss of Glinda, but she had never experienced the warm fuzzies one was supposed to obtain from a parent... and a lover? Forget it. She had been raped, but she imagined being loved was something entirely different. She ached the loss of Glinda, she could scarcely imagine the pain of losing a mate, but regardless it was nice to see him smile... granted she wouldn't be lining up to get impaled again to see it, but perhaps it's just what he needed, a distraction, something to occupy his mind.

She hummed, listening as he spoke of the beasts. Head cocking slightly to the left as she contemplated its movements. It paced erratically and even when it chased them its movements seemed to have no plot, no plan, just sporadic and random. "This is probably not my place... but his movements, even now are sporadic, random, there is no method to wear he lays his hooves, he is only occupied with the goal of impalement. Perhaps if you got enough of us together we could disorient him with so many voices, nip at his calves, chomping at his legs...just enough to make him uneasy about charging down one of the packs own. " She doubted the creature was stupid, just filled with a bit too much testosterone. It would be foolish to bring him back down. Her ears careened forward, listening for the things angered footfalls, only to be met with nothing, perhaps the thing had finally grown bored. Elphaba was content waiting a few extra moments.

Her audits swiveled backwards as he questioned her injury, she glanced down at the appendage, it wasn't bleeding anymore, that was a plus. "It will smart for a few days, but it's nothing I can't handle. It will heal in time mingling with the rest of the scars... don't fret over me your Grace. I'll be fine. "



Speech!

Her laugh was attractive, and he had a feeling it was rare. He couldn't recall hearing the melodic sound in the time that he'd known her - but that hadn't exactly been a long time. A silence fell over them, in which Gerhardt noted that the bull was still very much present, but not as angry as before. This was a good sign. The beast had either run out of steam or was simply giving up - either way meant that he would soon be leaving them at peace. Still, Gerhardt worried that he might be a bit too impulsive to have running around Seracia. What if he harmed one of Ghost's pups when they got old enough to leave the den? What if he hurt someone else? No, this bull had to leave or be killed. Something needed to be done. But what?

"I think it's a fair enough idea. I'm wondering if the beast ought to just be put down. Do you think there's any chance we could manage that?" A scare tactic would certainly be the easier method, but the King wasn't sure it would do all that much good. What if the bull just got angrier? Though Gerhardt didn't like the idea of killing anything so large - as it could be dangerous - the thought of showing these beasts once and for all who owned this land was appealing. Who could he get together to challenge the beast? Bronze would likely do it, as would Elphaba (he presumed), Maverick would want to be a part, and perhaps even Kamala. Gerhardt wasn't sure about letting the kids participate, but he might need them. Plus, they needed to start getting used to situations like this, it was part of growing up.

Vision gazed at her wound, it wasn't particularly large or hideous, just a simple gash on her flank. It was enough to make him worry, however, and he furrowed his brow accordingly. "I'd say for you to have Loccian or one of our other healers look at it, but I know how stubborn wolves can be about things like injuries." He didn't know personally how she might react to such a statement, but he hoped that she might at least consider the idea of having it checked out - for her own safety. Gerhardt didn't want her suffering any longer than necessary. An ear flickered to the last place he'd heard the bull, but there was no sound coming from outside the shed. The King only then realized how comfortable he was, and therefore made no motion to leave where he sat. If she wished to keep talking, she could, and if she wished to leave, she could. Gerhardt merely wanted to rest a while.

"Speech"

Elphaba ceased her small bout of laughter, however soft and quiet it was. She couldn't recall the last time she had let the sound escape her, undoubtedly, it had been with Glinda. It felt good to release the noise, a weight loosened in the confines of her chest, some of that angry bitterness that always seemed to creep upon her, chipping away. She supposed she had her own new found freedom to thank for that... in a way she wasn't really free, she served Seracia without fail, but Seracia did not... hate her. The world was poison upon her tongue. The names she had been called, the things they had wrought upon her body, a involuntary shiver traced the length of her spine. She shook it off, focusing on the now. There was nothing she could do to change the past. She had made her choice and in the long run... it was for the better. A silence for a short bout of time but it wasn't uncomfortable, and she felt completely at ease within Gerhardt's company. She wasn't sure why she trusted the King as she did, why she was so quick to accept and obey his commands, but something about him told her he wouldn't bring her harm without meaning... today he had proved as such, she owed him much more than her loyalty, she now owed him her life. It was not something the dame was likely to forget. No one cared about her. No one had ever even glanced at her like an equal before. She had been expendable at best... but apparently Gerhardt's members meant more to him than a mere force of muscle and blood. No if she had any lingering doubts, they vanished. He had her trust completely. "Put him down? It would be possible. The kill would need to be quick and precise, one wolf aiming for the jugular on the left another for the mirrored vein on the right. The longer the fight dragged, the angrier it would become. I believe Seracia has the power and the tact to perform such a task, providing you led us." Her lyrics weren't as icy as they had been the first time she met him. They were still distant, aloof, but much calmer, much softer. He had asked her opinion and she gave it. There would be no question that Elphaba would attend should such a task arise. She had left no room for question in the word 'us'. "If it would ease your mind, I will visit a healer, you have enough to stress over, I should be the least of your problems." Elphaba would answer with a soft smile, her head never rising from its place between her paws. She was perfectly relaxed a top the tractor and it would be better for the wound if she stopped moving. She saw no reason to leave her perch just yet. Silence would reign peaceful and at ease. She wondered if this was how it felt to have pack mates, companions who actually cared for one another. It didn't seem so lonely, despite the silence with another presence that wasn't intent on killing her nearby it was...nice. "How did Seracia come to be? If you do not mind the inquiry." Golden orbs would flicker towards the king, curious for his answer. "Speech"

He wondered if he was a fool for even fathoming the idea of trying to put down the beast. It was a regal idea, and an honorable one, but was it practical? Would it do any more good than it would harm? That was what the King didn't know. Silence filled the man-made cavern they now called home as she pondered what he'd said - or thats what the man assumed she was doing. "Of course scaring him would be the best option, I'm just not sure the beast is intelligent enough to remember a fright for very long. I think if we got a small party of skilled wolves together we could accomplish the task. I hate to ask so much of you, but would you like to be a part of such a mission?" If she refused, there would be no hard feelings, but he did feel like she might want to be a part of the hunting party. The demeanor about her seemed to be different, changed, but he paid little attention to it. She was becoming more comfortable, and it was only natural to relax as you got to know someone.

"That's very kind of you, but don't go just to spare my feelings. If you are confident it will heal nicely, then there is no problem at all." He would worry about her, but he worried about each of his members at one point or another, it was only natural. Gerhardt felt like a shepherd, tending his flock of sheep. He knew that each of those sheep could logistically care for themselves, but he still felt the need to keep an eye out. He knew that - in theory - these wolves that he was King over could very well live their whole lives without his assistance - but that didn't mean they should, nor did that mean that he wanted them to. Gerhardt thrived on helping others, on dedicating his very being to their wellness. If it weren't for Seracia, he would have nothing left at all - of this he was sure.

She would inquire of him the origin of Seracia. "I was born into a very war-based pack. They went to war so often that it was quite literally the death of them. As they began to dissolve and disorder crept into the ranks, the leaders saw fit to eject Adette and I from the pack - as a result of sins I am not even now fully aware of. During our formative years, one of the first packs my pack took to battle was a Kingdom based pack. I used to dream of leaving my home and joining theirs. Everything seemed so orderly, so... utopian. When I was kicked out of my birth pack I thought to take Adette to the Kingdom, but war after war had raged upon them and they were quite ready to dissolve into nothing. I decided that I would make my own Kingdom pack - if I ever got the chance." He hadn't told the tale in a while, and was almost emotional to think back to those days. It seemed so long ago, though it hadn't really been too long.

"Speech"

The beast, whatever it was, was gone, vanished from the shed, whether it awaited to gut them elsewhere or merely had gotten tired of making a scene Elphaba wouldn't know. It was fast and if just the graze her leg had seen that had sent her careening to the right, he was undoubtedly powerful. However, his massive form was cumbersome, unsteady on a turn. A straight away a wolf wouldn't have a prayer, but in a test of agility and sharp movements there was no way that thing could compete. her ears flickered backwards listening as he spoke. "Whatever your decision on the matter, my Grace, you have my teeth and my claws at your beck and call, you don't need to ask." Her lyrics were self assured and strong. Her loyalty and willingness to serve could not be denied.

Her eyes glanced away from the King to the injury that had already begun to form a scab. She had already cleaned the dirt and debris from the open orifice, and she doubted there was a real chance of infection, she could be wrong, but should such a case occur, the wound would need to be ripped open and tended too. By the time she got up the energy to get out of here, the wound would already be a thick scab and nothing more. Herbs would be quite useless at that point. She would nod at Gerhardt's words, but she would speak no more of her injury. She didn't want the conversation lingering on her. She told him the worst tid bits of her past when she had joined, as was his right to know. But there were questions, inquiries, that she didn't want asked, things she liked even less to speak of. The tip of her tail flickered, the rest of her bodice remaining motionless, the easy silence drifting over them.

She was surprised the origins of his past, and it showed in the emotions that flickered through her eyes. Shock, understanding, acceptance and finally the mask of indifference glided back over her maw. She would inhale sharply and let the breath out slowly, before a smile would curve her lips. He was remarkably calm, and willing to understand a situation for having come from such a wicked past, but then again look at her, she hadn't come from a place of sunshine and daffodils either. "It seems the exiled aren't all that bad no?" The lyrics would fall with just a hint of humor. She hadn't been exiled exactly, but it was damn well close enough. She would have been better off had they merely done as such from the start, but that was neither here nor there and she the thoughts melt away.



Speech!

"It's certainly something that will require a bit of thought, but I am leaning toward gathering a party to sleigh the beast. Ghost has young children, I won't have the youth of Seracia plagued by a rogue bull." Hell had no fury like a King protecting his subjects. Seracia would see a side of their monarch they had not seen before. Excitement brewed just under the surface of Gerhardt's flesh, boiling and festering to a point he was sure might drive him mad if he didn't take action in the near future. Her words of undying loyalty reverberated in his ears, spurring on the festering concoction that brewed in his veins. Wolves like this could lead Seracia to a new level. Wolves like this were few and far between. He gazed in her direction for a moment - almost astonished at how much she seemed to trust him after only a few weeks of knowing him.

As time flitted by the King wondered how his tale would sit with the woman. He'd certainly come up from a shaky past, and in truth had very little foundation to stand upon. Many wolves in Seracia didn't even know their monarch's history - but it hadn't seemed to matter much to any of them until now. He had almost been surprised by her question, but had certainly welcomed it. Gerhardt had long since sworn to be as open a book as he could, and this would be no exception. As the smile flickered onto her face, he drew up one of his own - pearly whites gleaning in a momentary beam of sunlight filtering through the cracks in the roof. Her comment resulted in a rumbling chuckle and a brief tilt of his head. "Apparently not." He smirked, a jest brewing in his mind. "Perhaps that shall be our new mantra: Seracia, a home for the exiles! It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" Of course he would never dream of diverting Seracia from their pillars of respect and honor, but he would certainly not turn away anyone for being an exile.

"Speech"

" I don't think a raging anything is much good for anyones health, but if there are pups within the grounds, I agree the matter needs to be taken care of. Innocence should never be lain in the path of something so destructive." Her mind whirled with possibilities, of strategies, she had been in a fair share of battles, but never against anything aside from a wolf, she wondered how one might execute a takedown of something so utterly... massive. Planning and precision no doubt. She would hum, a gentle melodic sound that vibrated through her larynx, a gentle, soothing sound of some forgotten lullaby from days gone by, something Glinda used to hum when she was around. Was she ready to speak of her? Eventually she would need to tell someone, if nothing more than to get the insufferable guilt off her chest... but she wasn't ready, not yet.

They fell back to the comfortable silence and she listened, craning her ears as he spoke of his past, she would listen and offer him a lightened answer, she did not think any less of him from his trials, in fact she only saw the more noble aspect. He had come from blood hungry war wolves, but he had risen above them, carved his own path, instead of following blindly in the footsteps of those who would do wrong. She could respect that, it was exactly what she had done. It was odd how alike and yet how different they were but she was relaxed in his presence, he had welcomed her into his home and his kingdom and she would give him her loyalty and trust in return, it was the least she could do. he seemed surprised at such knowledge, but she shrugged it off, perhaps others did not share the views of respect and honor that she attempted to with hold. "Despite the glorious ring to such a phrase, I fear it does not begin to match the honorable respect that you have risen above. You could have been lost in madness, mindless in a need for war and death, instead you have chosen peace. The title of King is well deserved, it reconfirms my choice to display your banner was the correct one."



Speech!

"Precisely," he would utter in the gravest of tones. The King could only imagine the pain and torment such a creature could cause if he ever got near a wolf who wasn't prepared to evade it. Elphaba had been hurt and she'd had a decent plan, who's to say another wolf might not be killed by the beast? That was a risk the King couldn't afford to take. He was willing to live at peace with the cattle, provided they did the same. This one was not abiding by the unwritten treaty - and therefore had to be taken out for the sake of the whole. Already battle plans and arrangements were festering in his mind, boiling and concocting into a powerful blend that would lead to the bull's demise. He knew who he would call upon, knew who he could trust to get the job done. They would be rewarded magnificently for their risk - and hopefully for their success.

Her humming was a welcome reminder that he was in the presence of another, and should not be ignoring her for the sake of battle planning. He would have time later to get his thoughts organized. He ceased his war tactic mind and listened intently to the melodic notes. They were barely audible, but certainly pleasant to the ears. "That's lovely," he would comment, whether to himself or to her the King was not quite sure. Whatever the cause, it had been said, and was truth. "You never cease to amaze me," he would say in response to her comment about the mantra. Gerhardt had only just met the woman, but knew instantly that her loyalty was unwavering. She would go far in Seracia - he could feel it in his very bones. She was so different, and yet so very much like him. It was astonishing if not amazing at how little he knew about her, yet he was increasingly comfortable in her presence. It seemed she was a kindred spirit, and he was thankful for it. He'd lost one kindred soul only recently, and was glad to have another at his side.

"Speech"

Elphaba would nod in time with his resounding agreement, she had no doubt in her mind that they would have their work cut out for them, taking a beast like the large red bull that was long gone by now, but if she trusted anyone to be successful at it, it would be the King that perched beside her. He had come from a pack of war, tactics must be close to second nature for him. She allowed him to lose himself in his head, to strategize, to plan. She had never been known for her long bouts of conversation and the silence suited her just fine. her leg no longer smarted, the wound having cleanly clotted over, it would heal quickly and she would be ready for whenever Gerhardt decided to bring down the beast. It mattered little to her when, even if she was still healing, she would attend. It was her duty, her perogative. The hum escaped her without her common knowledge, a soft, gentle noise that rumbled up through her vocals. Glinda used to treat her injuries and hum the tune to her. She had never asked what it was called but the melody had remained within the confines of her memory, it soothed her, reminded her of the goodness that her old pack contained. It was small, and it was flickering, threatened to be extinguished, but it was there. It would suddenly halt as Gerhardt's voice pulled her from the trance she had put herself in. Golden eyes would snap open and she couldn't remember closing them. She didn't know how to respond to the compliment, so with a light smile she would pause for only a moment more and let the melody resume. His answer to her words had been short, but confusing, at least to her. She lifted her head from between her paws to see him a bit better, for a soft moment she was quiet, before she answered it. Compliments and encouragement were so rare for her... she wasn't sure how to respond. So she answered truthfully, as she did everything else. "I speak only what lies on the precipice of my mind, amazing, I think not." She would offer him a subtle smile, her words not to be taken too seriously. "Speech"

He would replay her notes in his mind, finding them to be incredibly soothing. He'd never tried humming or anything of the sort - it had never truthfully appealed to him until now. Perhaps he ought to give it a go, but certainly not in mixed company. He didn't feel like this was the place to debut his humming career - if he even had a hope of one. A smirk passed his lips as he thought of himself strolling around Seracia humming. It wasn't exactly the prettiest of pictures, but it wasn't bad either. He'd have to learn a song though, he couldn't go around stealing hers.. even if it was pretty and soothing.

She spoke up, dashing his compliment to pieces. She must not be used to getting them, or didn't like the attention. One way or another, it was clear she preferred to give rather than to receive. Gerhardt was the same way - though not as blatant about it as she was. Come to think of it, she was blunt in other areas too. Perhaps that was part of the reason he got along with her. She didn't sugar coat anything, she had no reason to. Gerhardt didn't like sugar-coating, it was foolish and quite frankly a waste of time. He had better things to be doing. "It's for that reason alone that you are amazing." She would probably dash that one too, but he said it anyway. Then, with a listless sigh, the King would stand atop his pedestal and leap to the earth below, kicking up a bit of dust as he landed. "I hate to leave such good company, but I have a few things to attend to before the day is through. I'll be seeing you soon, I'm sure. Until then, have a good day Elphaba." With that, and a flicker of his tail, the King slithered through the door and into the world that was Seracia.



"Speech"